
I 



HB 3527 
.P5 H8 
Copy 1 



SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION 



OF 



PHILADELPHIA. 



PAPERS OF iS74. 



STATISTICS RELATING TO THE BIRTHS, DEATHS, 

MARRIAGES, AND MOVEMENT OF POPULATION 

IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, FROM 

JANUARY i, 1861, TO JANUARY i, 1872. 






BY JOHN STOCKTON-HOUGH, M. E>. 



[Re-printed from the Penn Monthly for September, 1873.] 



PAPERS READ BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION. 



The following is a list of the Papers read before the Association ; 

1871. Compulsory Education. By Lorin Blodget. 
Arbitration as a Retnedy for Strikes. By Eckley B. Coxe. 
The Revised Statutes of Pennsylvania. By R. C. McMurtrie. 
Local Taxation. By Thomas Cochran. 
Infant Mortality. By Dr. J. S. Parry. 

1872. Statute Law and Common Law, and the Proposed Revision in Penn 

sylvania. By E. Spencer Miller. 
Apprenticeship. By James S. Whitney. 
The Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania. By; 

Francis Jordan. 
Vaccination. By Dr. J. S. Parry. 
The Census. By Lorin Blodget. 

1873. The Tax System of Pennsylvania. By Cyrus Elder. 
The Work of the Constitutional Convention. By A. Sydney Biddle. 
What Shall Philadelphia do with its Paupers ? By Dr. Ray. 
Proportional Representation. By S. Dana Horton. 

1874. Statistics Relating to the Births, Deaths, Marriages\etc. y in Philadelphia. 

By John Stockton-Hough, M. D. 




STATISTICS. 

RELATING TO THE BIRTHS. DEATHS, MARRIAGES, AND MOVEMENT OF 
POPULATION IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, FROM 
JANUARY ist,i«6i, TO JANUARY ist, 1872. 



THE writer, in the course of his studies, found it desirable to 
tabulate some of the facts concerning the birth-rate in 
Philadelphia, and finding several tables 1 had accumulated in the 
course of his researches, has thought that extracts from these 
might possibly be of value to those interested in the subject, and 
he was, for this reason, induced to offer them for publication. 

It is proper to state here, that the space allowed for this article 
precludes the introduction of many useful deductions and com- 
parisons. 

The movement of the population in one country, as compared 
with that of another, as well as that of the same place compared 
with preceding numerations, always a matter of interest, 
becomes more and more so as civilization advances, bringing with 
it evidences of physical and moral degeneracy, as evinced in the 
proportionally fewer marriages, in a smaller number of births to 
each marriage, a lessened birth-rate, a declining proportion of 
male births, increase in the proportion of male deaths, increasing 
proportion of females in the general population, increasing 
illegitimacy, increase in the proportion of inhabitants in cities 
over the country, and in sone instances a slovvly diminishing 
mortality; and, notwithstanding this last occasional occurrence, 
always a declining increase in population, which means that 
increase must cease in some dimly distant future. 

It is no part of the purpose of the present article to prove these 
deductions, but merely to illustrate them by the movement of 
population in Philadelphia, the results agreeing in the main with 
those arrived at by most statisticians, particularly where the latter 
are Physicians. The acknowledged labors of Dr. J. M. Toner, o 
Washington, D. C, and Dr. Nathan Allen, of Lowell, Mass., cor- 
roborate the views taken in this article. 

Philadelphia, with an area of 129^ square miles (a length of 

1 The entire MS., including these tables and other detailed calculations 
omitted in this article, have been placed in the Library of the Historical 
Society of Pennsylvania, for reference, by any person who may hereafter 
undertake the compilation of statistics relating to this city. 

3 



4 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

23 miles, average width of 5^ miles), or 82,700 acres, had a 
population, in 1870, of 674,022 souls, or 5,225 inhabitants to the 
square mile. 1 

There were, in 1870, 127,746 families, having an av erage of 
5.28 persons to each family. There were 112,366 dwellings, and 
6.01 persons to each. 2 There were 490,398 native, and 183,624 
foreign persons in the population. Of these, 651,854 were white, 
and 22,147 colored. 

The population is very unequally distributed, as there are several 
farms, gardens, and parks (about 2,500 acres, )within the city limits, 
besides several small towns and villages. About 27.7 percent, of its 
population are of foreign birth, from which, it is probable, that a 
proportionally larger part of the births are recruited, as one-half 
of the parents giving birth in Massachusetts (with a population 
22.9 per cent, foreign) in 1S60, were of foreign birth ; and in 
New York city, the Registrar says that in 1870, "as usual, the 
children of foreign parentage greatly predominated" (9,282 
parents foreign, 2,553 na tive). Hence, New York city, which 
had a population composed of persons of foreign birth, to the 
extent of 44.5 per cent., recruited 78.4 per cent, of its births 
from this same foreign element — or, in other words, more than 
three-fourths of the births were recruited from much less than half 
of the entire population: stating it differently, the native popu- 
lation recruit one birth from every 204.9 OI " their own number, 
while the foreign population recruit one from every 45.1, and are 
consequently more than four and a half times as prolific. In 
Massachusetts, as before stated, one-half of the births are recruited 
from less than one-fourth of the population (foreign), or 
foreigners are more than three times as prolific as the natives. 
With these facts before us, we are impressed with the belief that 
Philadelphia, with a population of 27.7 percent, foreign, must 
recruit more than three and a half times as many births, propor- 

1 Chicago, with an area of 223 square miles, has 1,350 inhabitants to each. 
London, " " 122 " " 26.000 " " 

Boston, '* " no '* " 2,300 " " 

San Francisco, " " 90 " " 1.500 " " 

Paris, " " 63 " " 28,000 " " 

Pekin, " " 56 " " 28,500 " " 

N. Y. City, " " 22 " " 43,000 " " 

N. Y. Medical Record, May 15, 1873, P- 2 4°- 
2 New York (1870) had 64,044 dwellings, with 14.72 persons to each, and 
18.5,789 families, with 5.07 persons to each. 



Statistics Relating to the BittJis, Dcath-Rate, etc. 5 

tionally, from its inhabitants of foreign birth as from the natives. 
It is greatly to be regretted that the nativity of parents 1 of 
children born in Philadelphia, as well as their ages and the 
number of the pregnancy, should not be recorded. 
Births by years — boys to 100 girls 2 : 

Mean 
o Average. 

1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 11 years. 
Boys to "1 „ „ , „ 

100 girls, j I09-3 IO? IIO -9 II2 II3-4 IIT - 7 io 9- 8 Io8 -° io 9- 8 II 3- 2 IIO -9 IIQ .54 

Inhab. to i | „ „„ „ .. 

mar'ge an'ly. J I28 I23 '° 7 88 8l 8 ? io2 99 1Q ° IQI 9° IQI 

Births to each 



marriage. 



■3.91 3.16 2.79 2.30 2.24 2.40 2.62 2.70 2.64 2.67 2.69 2.71 



Average number of boys to 100 girl . for 11 years, 1860-72 (white) 110.65 

" " " " " (colored) 101.14 

" " " " ' still-born a " 134.40 

Percentage of still-births to entire births " 4.59 

"Percentage of still-births in almshouse, 6 years 7 71 

Number of boys to 100 girls still-born in almshouse, 6 years 113 

Of 729 illegitimate births in almshouse (1864-1869) there were boys to 100 girls 85.9 

Of 459 so-called legitimate in same institution for same period, boys to 100 girls 93.6 

Percentage of total births in almshouse declared illegitimate by their mothers 76 

In white population, 1810, there were 100 females to 98 males. 

" " " 1830 " ' 100 " " 92 males 1 1 

" colored " 1830 " " 100 *' " 75.70 " j9 I -59 

" white " i860 " " 100 " " 91.18 " f c it 

" colored '* i860 '* " 100 " " 7054 " /9°-93° 

" white " 1870 " " 100 " " I u 

" colored " 1870 " *' 100 '* " }9°-5° 

Average males to 100 females dying 1860-1872 (still-births deducted) '. 112.29 

" " (still-births not deducted) i'3-44 

Number of males in the population i860, to each male dying, 1860-1872 33.5 

" females " " " " female " '' 39.4 

Annual average for n years (1860-187 2) : 

Wliite. Colored^ Still-born. Illegitimate. Twins.7 Triplcts.% 

Tot'l Births Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. (Estimated.) (Pairs) (Cases.) 
16,338 8,582 7,756 128.4 127 437 325 680 15s 2.2 

Yearly difference between births and deaths 9 : 

(Plus sign indicates excess of births ; minus sign excess of deaths.) 
1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 Average. 
4.2803 +852 +1220 +526 — 143 +1277 +3560 +3124 +2689 +1055 +1986 +1723 

!.See reference to the author's paper on "Effect of Nationality of Parents 
on Fecundity and Proportion of Sexes in Births." 

2 Boys to IOO girls born in N. Y. city, 1853 to 1870, 107. 8. 

3 Rebellion began in spring of 1861 ; many soldiers discharged in 1863-4, 
and all in 1865. 

4 From 1670-1675, in Paris there were 5 births to each marriage ; from 1764- 
1775, I marriage to 4 births; from 1864 to 1869. 1 marriage to 3 births. — 
Ckevallier et Lagneau — Ann. d' ' Hyg, Pub., July, 1873,/ 57- 

5 In New York City, i860, among whites, 95.23 males to 100 females ; among 
colored, 76.13 to 100. 

6 Census of United States for 1870, compiled by General Walker, gives total, 
deaths of colored males, 34,241 ; females, 32,942, or 103.9 males to 100 females ; 
white males, 225 818; females, 198,322, or 1 13. 8 males to 100 females. The 
deaths of white males under I year amounted to 52,402; females, 42,152, or 
121 males to IOO females; white males under 5 years, 93,928; females, 79,776, 
or 117 males to 100 females. The proportion of male deaths among the colored 
population is greater than among the white, though the above figures would 



6 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

Conceptions by months and seasons — boys to ioo girls, 1861 — 
1872: 

Spring. Summer. Autumn. Winter. 

Mar. Apr. May. June July August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb 
107.2 114. 8 113.9 i°6-4 io 9-4 110.8 110.3 107.5 109.2 107.3 110.6 112.4 

112. 108.9 io 9* 110.7 

Average No. ) 

Conceptions. X 1068 987 1029 1070 

Average No. \ 
Marriages, j 1454 1395 1687 1591 

Months in order of decrease of male conceptions — boys to ioo 
girls : 

Apr. Feb. May Aug. Jan. Sept. July Nov. Oct. Dec. Mar.10 Jun. 
114.8 114.2 113.9 110.8 no. 6 H0.3 109.4 109.2 107.5 107.3 107.7 106.4 

Months in order of decrease of conception, both sexes, (all 
brought to 31 days): February, April, November, January, June, 
March, 10 December, Octo ber, May, September, July and August. 

Months in order of dercease of marriages (all brought to 31, 
days) : October, December, November, September, January, 
April, June, May, February, July, August, March. 

Conceptions compared with marriages by quarters : 

1st Qr. 2nd Qr. 3d Qr. 4th Qr. 

Percentage of Conceptions 26.27 25.06 22.95 25.75 

'' marriages 23.84 24.23 23.85 27.96 

Boys to ioogirlsll 110.67 in. 70 110.17 108.00 

indicate the opposite, owing to the much smaller proportion of males in the 
colored population. This greater mortality was forcibly shown in a recent arti- 
cle by the writer — " On the Relative Viability of the Sexes," etc. — tyew York 
Med. Record, June 16 and July 15, 1873, pp. 297-302, 353-4-5. 

Mr. Tulloch says that " the mortality of the slave population of the West 
Indies is very much greater in the male sex than in the female, the proportion 
in adultsbeing nearly double among males." M. Rickman found the average 
mortality for 5 years preceding 1830 to be I in 51, while in the negro popula- 
tion it had been 1 in 36. — British and Foreign Med-Chir. Review, Vol. iv., p. 
262. 

Total Labors. 

7 Tvvin labors in entire city (1860-1872), 1,740, or I in 105 labors 182,627 

" «' almshouse (1864-1869), 14, or I in 85 " 1,200 

8 Triplet cases in entire city (1860-1872), 25, or I in 7,269 labors 182,627 

9,In 1872 the births amounted to 20,072; deaths, 20544. Excess of deaths 
over births, 472. 

10 Lessened proportion of boys probably due to devotions and fasts of the 
Lenten season. In Paris, 1670 to 1787, number of conceptions in Feb., 907 ; 
March, 857; April, 1,000. — Villermt. 

Spring conceptions in England, 7 per cent, over that of any other quarter. 

n New York city, (1870), boys to 100 girls, 1st quarter, 99.01 ; 2d quar- 
ter, 1 14.7; 3d quarter, 1 10.41 ; 4th quarter, 1 10.6. 



r. 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 7 



Decade of 1 821-1830, compared with the foregoing of 1861- 
1872. Conceptions by months and seasons — boys to 100 girls, 
1821 to 1830 : 

Spring. Summer. Autumn. Wintir. 

March, April, May. June, July, August. Sept., Oct., Nov. Dec, Jan., Feb. 
103.7 in-S 107 107.2 109.8 109. 1 108. 1 112. s 106 109 1 111.9 109.5 

107.33 Io8 -7 108.87 no. 16 

Months in order of decrease of male conceptions (1821-1830) : 
October, January, April, July, February, December, August, Sep- 
tember, June, May, November, March. 

Months in order of decline in conceptions — both sexes (1821- 
1830): May, December, March, April, February, June, January, 
November, October, September, July, August. 

Note. — Effect of month of conception and birth on the expectation of life, 

exhibiting the percentage of deaths which occur within the first year after death : 

Month of conception. ..Mar. April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct , Nov., Dec, Jan., Feb. 

Percentage 7.8 7.7 7.0 8.1 8.6 0.5 10.8 9.6 8.5 7.2 7.5 7.7 

Month of Birth Dec. Jan., Feb'y, Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. 

— Taken from Dr. E. Smith's book on Cyclical Changes. The cases, 3,050 in 
number, were taken from the " Register of the Counties of Durham, Northum- 
berland, Westmoreland, and Cumberland (England). Population about 
1,000,000, and scarcely any manufacturing towns." He ascribes the greater 
mortality of those born in months of May, June and July to the time of birth 
rather than to the time of conception. 

Comparison of the birth-rate and movement of population in 
the poorest and richest wards (i 861-187 2): 

Poorest. Richest. 

1st Ward. 5th Ward. 8th Ward. 

Population in 1870 25,817 18,736 22,286 

Males to 100 females in population 101.09 98.18 71.84 

Average percentage of births to population... 3.41 1.61 1.46 

Average No. inhab. to each marriage annually 

Average No. inhab. to each birth annually.... 27.28 61.28 68.65 

Average No. inhab. to I death annually ( 4 yrs. )l 36.50 42.00 57- 00 

Average No. boys to 100 girls born (1870)... 117. 712 

Average No. inhabitants to each house 5.04 7.97 7.04 

Average number persons to each family 4.86 5.51 6.23 

Percentage of children born alive, dying under 

5 years of age 

1M. Villot, prior to 1 830, in Paris, found the deaths I in every 42 inhabi- 
tants in richest arrondisements, and 1 in 25 in poorest. 

' Of 1 00 infants born alive to the gentry of England (1844), there died 20; 
to the working-classes, 50. In the aristocractic families of Germany there died» 
in four years, 5.7 per cent.; amongst the poor of Berlin, 34.5. In Brussels the 
mortality, up to the fifth year, was 6 per cent, in the families of capitalists, 33, 



8 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

Months (all of 31 days) in order of decrease of conceptions, 
compared by wards: 

Poorest, 1st Ward — Feb Dec. Jan. Apr. June Nov. Mar. Oct. Sep. July May Aug. 

Rich- f 5th " — Apr. Dec Feb. June Oct. Jan. Nov. Sept. July May Mar. Aug. 

est. \ 8th " — Apr. Dec. Feb. Jan. June July Nov. Oct. Mar. Sep Aug. May 

Entire City, — Feb. Apr. Nov. Jan. June Mar. Dec. Oct. May Sep. July Aug. 

The comparison of the birth-rate, death-rate, and proportion of 
sexes born in the richest and poorest parts of a city, I have never 
met with in any of my researches, except the instances referred to 
in the foot note ; and bring these facts together for the city of 
Philadelphia, for the first time. The wards chosen are the 1st, 
5th and 8th. The first ward is located in the extreme southern 
part of the city, and is marshy and wet on its southern border; its 
inhabitants being of the poorer, lower and middling classes. The 
5th and 8th wards, located in the central part of the city, repre- 
sent the most wealth, culture and refinement, the "oldest 
families," the 5th being a part of the oldest portion of the city, 
while most of the 8th is comparatively recent. In both of these 
last-named wards there is a mixture of all classes and colors, but 
the wealthy predominate ; if they were occupied exclusively by the 
rich the statistical differences would be still greater. The relative 
density of population in these districts is not within my reach, but 
the 1st ward is much less closely built up than either of the others, 
the 5th having no vacant lots, the 8th very few. 

The most extraordinary feature in these comparisons is the 

per cent, amongst tradesmen and professional people, and 54 per cent, amongst 
the workingmen and domestics." De Villiers states that " the mortality amongst 
the workingmen of Lyons is 35 per cent., and in well-to-do families and agri- 
cultural districts it is 10 per cent." Dr. Jacobi found the mortality to be 59 
per cent, at the Randall's Island Foundling Hospital, and Dr. John S. Parry 
calculates the mortality of the children in the Philadelphia Hospital at 62.12 
per cent. — Dr. John S Parry. Infant Mortality, etc. Penn Monthly, June, 
1871. P. 21-2 {out of Jacobi, of N Y.). 

2 The sexes are not given by wards; but I have taken the trouble to calcu- 
late it for 1 year, and find it was far above the average for the first ward, but 
the data in the other wards are not sufficiently complete to allow of any relia- 
ble calculations. It is interesting to know, however, that the proportion of boys 
was as high as 115.39 to the 100 girls in the report of a practitioner having 
cases principally among the lower and middle classes, while it was only 69.00 
males to 100 females in the records of an accoucher whose practice was exclu- 
sively among the wealthiest class, a difference of 23.19 per cent, in the excess 
of males in favor of the former. 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 9 

much higher rate of mortality, coupled with an apparent fecundity 
nearly three times as great, in the poorest ward as compared with 
the richest — and I have no doubt, if the facts could be reached, we 
should find the proportion of boys to girls quite 50 per cent, higher 
among the poorer class than among the wealthy. 

In the comparison of the total number of conceptions by 
months in these wards, it is noticeable that the geniale tempus 
(April) seems to have had more effect on the wives of the wealthy 
than on those of the poorer class — and the lenten fasts appear to 
have been more generally observed among the rich than among 
the poor — if we may judge by the greater decline in conceptions 
among the former than among the latter in the month of March. 

Table showing the percentage of men and women married at 
different ages, in Philadelphia, from 1861 to 1872. 



Ages. 


Under 
20 


20 
to 
25 


25 
to 

30 


3° ! 40 
to to 
40 1 50 


50 
to 
60 


60 
to 

70 


70 

to 

80 


80 I Total mar- 
to riages all 
90 | ages. 


Per centage 
of men. 


.466 


34.83 1 31.04 


19-34 


5-88 


2.04 


-53S; .077 


.044 




Per centage 
of women. 


18.547 


43-47 


18.08 


10.45 


3-433 


62,904 



Average births to each marriage (annually) first % decade 2.83 

" " " « " " last ]/ 2 * 2.64 

" " " " " " 1861 to 1872 2.71 

Decrease per cent- inlasthalfof decade 6.71 



Note. — According to Dr. Emerson, " Villot's researches seem to show that 
the proportion of mortality is regulated less by the density of the population 
than by the opposite circumstances of ease and poverty." The Registrar Gen- 
eral of England (1 841) says : "It has frequently been observed that mar- 
riages and births are most numerous where mortality is the highest ; and this 
doctrine is borne out by the facts in a table where the mortality is raised 44 per 
cent. (Lancashire and Cheshire); the marriages and births were raised 21 per 
cent." 

Villerme' suggests that the sterility of marriages in Paris, where there is no ap- 
preciable physical cause, is principally owing to the will of the inhabitants, and 
assures us that it is principally the rich quarters in which the fecundity is most 
restrained. — Annates des Set. Nat. V. VIII., p. 426. The fact of a much smaller 
proportion of male births in rich as compared with poor quarters, points to 
actual physical decline in fecundity, and suggests a fallacy in the theory of this 
excellent French statistician. 



10 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 



Average inhabitants to each marriage (annually)i first y z decade io 3-7 

« «« " " " " last X " 9 8 -4 

" " " " " " 1861 to 1872 101.0 

Decrease per cent, in the number of inhabitants to each marriage 5.1 

Average number of boys born to 100 girls, first 6 years (white), 1861-7. .110.71 

Average number of boys born to 100 girls, last 5 years, (white) 110.46 

" " " " " " 11 " 1861 to 1872... 1 10.65 
Decrease per cent, in the proportion of boys in the last 5 years 22 

Average number of boys born to 100 girls, first y z decade, 1 820-1 831 108.86 

" " " " " " last y z u " " 107.36 

" " " " « " whole " ..108.11 

Decrease per cent, in proportion of boys in the last half decade 1.38. 

Table exhibiting the number, proportion and percentage ot 
sexes in the population, births and deaths, from some hereditary 
diseases 2 and accidental causes, etc.,occuring in the city of Phila- 
delphia, from Jan. 1st, 1861, to Dec. 31st, 1871: 



H 







p 




2 

3 in 


2 




g'H 3 
tjq t^ jo 


B*o 

C/3 w 




? n 


8 


674,022 




89.50 


182,627 




110.65 


1 74,000 




"3-44 


165,604 




112.29 


8,396 


4.8 


I33.50 


93-775 


53-9 


113.61 


76,142 


43-7 


103.20 


4,3 62 


2.5 


53-42 


175 


.1 


446.20 


339 


.19 


43809 


405 


•23 


136.84 


36 


.02 


1700.00 


2,093 


1.20 


123.25 


5o 


.028 


284.61 


4,644 


2.66 


102.35 


903 


•5i 


136.36 


3,74i 


2.15 


95-55 


9,065 


5.21 


132.13 


6,320 


3-63 


118.45 



Population of Philadelphia, 1870 

Births for the II years 1861 — 72 

Deaths " " " " all ages 

" " «' " " still-births excluded 

" " " " " still-born 

" Of children under 20 years of age, from all 

causes 

" Adults (all above 20 years) from all causes. 

" From old age (from 60 to no) 

" " Murder and violence, all ages 

" " Suicide 

" " Intemperance 

« " Wounds.. 

" " Apoplexy 

" " Gout 

" " Diseases, inflammation, and conges- 
tion of the heart, all ages 

" « Diseases, inflammation, and conges- 
tion of the heart, under 20 years.. 
« «« Diseases, inflammation, and conges- 
tion of the heart, above 20 years... 
'« " Diseases, inflammation, and conges- 
tion of the brain, all ages 

" " Diseases, inflammation, and conges- 
tion of the brain, under 20 years... 



iNew York city, 1869, 1 to 108 inhabitants; 1870, 1 to 1 18 inhabitants. 

2See further in author's paper " On the Laws of Transmission of Resem- 
blance from Parents to their Children." — New York Medical Record, Aug. 15, 
Sept. 15, and Oct. 15, 1873. 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 1 1 





o 






H 




* y 


&- =r 2 


» 


^. o o 


2 


3 a 2. 


p 


* 2 p 



ft n 



Diseases, inflammation, and conges- 
tion of the brain, above 20 years.. 
Scrofula, all ages 

' under 20 years 

" above " " 

Pulmonary consumption, all age:- 1 ... 

" " " under 20 years... 

" " " above " 

Paralysis, all ages 

CancerS, all ages 

Diseases peculiar to women, all ages 

Whooping cough 

Scarlet fever, (42 years ending 1 871) 
Measles, " " " 



2,745 
736 
58i 

155 

22,242 

3,087 

19,155 
2,207 

2,339 
1,202 
1,182 
I5.°59 
2,744 



1.58 

.42 

•33 

.09 

12.78 

1.78 
11.00 

1.26 

1-34 
•09 



324-5o 

120.36 

122.59 

"2.33 

99.15 

77-31 

103.30 

122.92 

43-05 

73-" 

96.7 

105.7 



Age and percentage of decedents from consumption of the 

lungs, in Philadelphia, for the eleven years from January 1st, 

1861, to December 31st, 1872 : 

Average age of all decedents from consumption 35-57 years. 

Average age of all decendents dying after the 20th year 39-4 1 " 



x The following are the percentages of deaths from pulmonary consumption 
of total mortality for the years following: 1860-1871 — 13.13 — 13.54 — 12.99- 
12.37 — I2 -3 I — l4-8o — 1480 — 14.30 — 14.11 — 14.49 — J 3'84 — 11.82. The per- 
centage of deaths from this cause seems to be gradually increasing, until the two 
last years, when there is an apparent decline ; but this is not real, as the total 
mortality was greatly increased in these years from Small-Pox and infantile 
diseases, hence the difference. — Mr Chambers' Report, 1872, p. 38. 

2 In the author's paper on "Deaths from Cancer, occuring in Philadelphiai 
from Jan., 1861, to Dec. 30th, 1870, showing the relative proportion of 
males and females dying of this disease, and the percentage of women 
dying of cancer of the uterus" {Journal of the Gynecological Society 
Boston, Sept., 1872. pages 201-2-3-4; extracted in N. Y. Medical Record, 
Feb. 1st, 1873) he has shown that 232 per cent, more women than men die 
of cancer, and that of all the women dying of cancer, 28.66 per cent, die of 
cancer of the uterus, or 20.44 P er cent, of the whole number of deaths from 
this disease without regard to sex ; of those, 39.2 per cent, die before the 45th 
year, and 60.8 per cent, after. Of all the women dying of cancer, without regard 
to seat, 65.7 per cent, die after 45 years of age. 

In Providence, R. I., 15 years ending 1871, 37 males to 100 females died 
of cancer. In England, 1856, 4,069 females and 1,690 males, or 45.5 males to 
100 females died of this disease. 



1 2 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 



Average age of all decedents from consumption dying after 30th yr., 46.77 years. 
«< " " «< " " 40th yr., 51.73 " 

« « «« « " " 50th yr., 58.51 " 



The percentage dying at different ages was as follows : 

Under 1 year. 1 to 2. 2 to 5. 5 to 10. 10 to 15. 15 to 20. 

1.73 1.06 1.34 .99 1.29 6.90 

30 to 40. 40 to 50. 50 to 60. 60 to 70. 70 to 80. 80 to 90. 

24.21 16.94 8.95 5.28 2.19 .34 



20 to 30. 

30-39 

90 to IOO. 

.019 



Statistics showing movement of population in Philadelphia; 



o 

►3 



I861 565,529 17,271 

1870 674022 17,194 

Average, 1861-72.. 16,602 
" 1820-31.. 6,467 
" 1806-20.. 



II 



: W 
: ? 
3 2 -7 
39- 2 

37-3 
22. 6 4 



s 4 s 

" O ft. 



14,468 

16,139 
14,870 



38.9 
41.73 

39-i 
41. 1 5 

47.86 



4,417 
6,421 

6,120 



trq "> 
re ^ 

>° 

2 "> 

p 

C O 

p_ tr 

. p 
: n 

3-91 
2.67 

2.71 



2. »* 
p &. 

OTQ 2t 

D t/i 

3 -. 
5 O 



128 
IOI 



Total births, 10 years, 1860-1871 164,281 

" deaths, 10 years, « " T 47,435 

Gain in population by excess of births over deaths 6 16,846 

Total decennial increase, 19.2 per cent., or 108,493 

Population recruited from other places during the decade 9 I > ( H7 

Average yearly influx becoming permanent inhabitants 9> J ^4 

" monthly " " " " 7 6 4 

" daily " " " '' 2 4-5 

.... 4^6 



gain by excess of births over deaths, about. 



increase in the population, about. 



29 



Average yearly increase by excess of births over deaths 1,684 

" " " recruited from abroad 9, J 64 



" " " from all sources 10,848 

!At a regular increase of 11,000 per annum, the population of Philadelphia 
will be in the June of the following years: 1873, 707,022; 1874, 718,022; 

1875, 729,022; 1876, 740,022; 1880, 784,022, and it would not reach a million 
at this rate until about the year 1900. Circumstances connected with the rebel- 
lion no doubt, checked the increase of population to a slight extent, yet this 
has probably been in a measure compensated by greater activity and increase 
since 1864. At furthest, we will not have above 750,000, or say 775,000, in 

1876. Statisticians, who are not physicians, always estimate increase in the 
population far above what is ever realized. For example, a number of persons 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 1 3 

Number of deaths by ages and sexes, compared for the decade 
from 1820 to 1831, with decade i860 to 187't (still-births deducted): 
















H 


u 


w 








u 














Deaths — Annual 
















average. 


<,a. 























p -1 






M 


M 


to 






t 


3500 


1347 


1387 



703 


296 




484 



1662 





1861 to 1872, 


1443 



1820 to 1830, 855 325 267 146 71 114 456 457 

Multiply all last") 
&t no^thl \ **» M*» -68 584 ,84 456 1824 .8,8 



the same. J 

ths — Ann 
average. 



^OOOoOOOtttp 

Deaths — Annual ,-. ^ „ r» „ ~ ~ » 3;? 

3 O O O O O OpgS 



'><=.£. 



1861 to 1872, 1 191 945 896 736 363 78 10.2 .63 112.29 

1820 to 1830, 375 246 193 135 74 21 3.2 .5 
Multiply all last") 
^taVno^fa'ths \**» 1056 77* S40 296 84 *.! 2 

the same. J 

have calculated a population of more than 100,000,000 for the United States in 
1900, and this even so late as 1869 ! And Gen. Walker is only a little nearer 
the truth when he sets it at 76,000,000, which is double what it was in 1870. 
Can the population double in 30 years? Have we any such experience ? 

2Deduct 4.1 per cent, for illegitimate births, and we have 2 6 legitimate 
births to each marriage. Estimated annual average illegitimate births, 680, 188 
of which occur in the almshouse. The above estimate of 4.1 per cent, is taken 
from Dr. John S. Parry's excellent paper on Infant Mortality in the Proceed- 
ings of Philadelphia Social Science Association, 1871 ; also in pamphlet, p. 8. 
3New York city (1870) had one death to every 33.9 inhabitants. We are 
scarcely warranted in making any comparisons between New York and Phila- 
delphia, for the reason that there is a larger proportion of the poorer classes in 
New York than in Philadelphia, for the reason that many of the well-to-do 
merchants and trades-people live in New Jersey, Brooklyn and other neighbor 
ing places not within the city limits, while our suburban residences are princi- 
pally comprehended in the city limits. 

The yearly deaths in San Francisco are l7 to 1,000 inhabitants; St. Louis, 
20 ; Cincinnati, 20 ; Baltimore, 25 ; Philadelphia, 26 ; Chicago 27 ; Brooklyn, 
■28; Boston, 30; New Orleans, 30; Newark, 31 ; New York, 32; Savannah 
36; Montreal, 37; Memphis, 46; Valparaiso (Chili), 66. Abroad— Zurich, 
13; Geneva, 19; Basle, 20; London, 21 j Paris, 21; Liverpool, 27; Leeds, 
27; Glasgow, 28; Dublin, 29; Leghorn, 30; Venice, 30; Milan, 30; Vienna, 
31; Stockholm, 31 ; Nice, 31; Havre, 31 ; Rotterdam, 31 ; Berlin, 32; Bo- 
logna, 32; Naples, 35; Florence, 35; Rome, 36; Prague, 41; Munich, 41 ; 
Cadiz, 44. 

^Emerson's Med. Statist, of Phila., Amer. Jour. Med. Sci., 1831, p. 40. 
SWhites (38.3 to 49.1), av., 42.3; blacks (16.9 to 27.2), av., 21.7. Blacks 
in year 1827 — males, 1 in 14; females, 1 in 22, or with an excess of 32 per cent, 
of females in population, had an excess of 13 per cent, of male deaths, exclu- 
sive of still-born. Total population, U. S .i860, 1 death to 79.77 inhabitants; 
1870, I in 78.32. 

6The births reported in New York city have never exceeded the deaths as 
recorded.— Report of Board of Health, 1870, p. 293. 



14 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

Total births for IO years (1820-1831.) (still births deducted) 61,603 

«' deaths " " " • " " " " " 37,614 

Gain in population by excess of births over deaths 23,989 

" per cent. '* " " « " " 38.9 

Total gain per cent, from all sources (as percensus, 1830) 37.8 

Total births for 10 years (1860-1871) (still-births deducted) 155,885 

» deaths « " " * " •« " " 138,896 

Gain in population by excess of births over death 16,989 

" percent. " " " " «' " 10.8 

Total gain per cent, from all sources (as per census, 1870) 19.2 

Average mean duration of life, 1807 to 1820 (from 25.53 to 31.67) 29.35yrs.l 
" " " " " 1820 to 1831 (from 26.67 to 31.12)... 28.53yrs.2 

« " «« " " 1861 to 1872 27.88yrs.3 

Still-births deducted in each of above periods. 
" " " '* " Still-births not deducted 26.54yrs. 

Actual " " " *' Still-births deducted 24-54yrs.4 

«« " " " " Still-births not deducted 23.34yrs. 

1 Emerson's Medical Statistics of Philadelphia, in the American Journal of 
Medical Sciences, 1827, Vol. I. pp. I16--155. 

2 Ibid. 131, p. 40. 

3 Note — Dr. Emerson, in calculating the "average mean duration of life" in 
Philadelphia for the periods above named, appears to have used the highest age 
given instead of the mean, and his results are consequently much to high — thus : 
if 500 children die between the ages of 5 and 10 years, he estimated the sum of 
their years to be 10x500 instead of 7^x500 ; his method of computation gave 
27.99 years, as tne m ean duration of life from 1861 to 1872, while if the mean 
averages be taken, it is too high by 3 years, viz : 24.99 years. 

Several months after this paper was completed, I came across a paper on 
" Philadelphia Life Tables," (Proceedings American Philosophical Society of 
Philadelphia, 1870, pp. 17-22,) by Mr. Pliny Earle Chase, in which I find he has 
ascertained the mean average age at death to be 23.57 years. I am quite sur- 
prised at the similarity of our results, because of the great amount of calcula- 
tion required to obtain the average age. 

The census of i860 estimates the '< Expectation of Life" at birth at 43.06 
years, and Dr. Baker (Op. Cit.) in commenting on this report, calculates it, 
according to his method of computation, at 46.03 years, while Dr. Toner 
(Op. Cit. pi) places it as high as 48 years. 

The census of 1870, General Walker estimates the mean average duration of 
life in the United States to be 39 % years. In England the expectation of life 
generally is 41 years; for males, 40, for females, 42. Inhabitants of this 
country can never hope to equal England in longevity, and these figures are 
consequently too high, for the average age at death in Michigan, in 1870, was 
23.50 years ; in Rhode Island, i860, 29.64; males, 28.51 ; females, 30.70. 

< Domitius Ulpianus, Prime Minister to Alexander Severus (A. D. 222 to 
235, year of Rome 975 -)-) estimated from the records, the mean duration of 
human life in Ancient Rome in his time at 30 years. Population of Rome, 
within the walls, is said to have been under a million, A. D. 48. 

In the State of Michigan, 1870, the average age at death was 23.50 years; 
males, 1.16 years in excess of females. In the State of Rhode Island, i860, 
the average age at death was 29.64 years; males, 28.51 ; females, 30.70 years ; 
from 1863 to 1872 for both sexes, it was 31.85. Among the colored population 
in Providence, it was 22.26 for males, 32 for females, and in the whole State, 
23.13 for males, 36.85 for females. 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 1 5 

The following calculations are from the paper 1 of Mr. Pliny Earle 
Chase, on "Philadelphia Life Tables" : 

Ratio of deaths (colored) to entire mortality for 62 years 8 7 per cent 

" " " " " " " 1863 to 1867 67 « 

Average mortality 62 years (white) 1 i n 47.S36 inhab. 

" " " (colored) I in 27.766 " 

" " 1858 to 1862, inclusive, (colored) I in 34.780 " 

Ratio of still-births to total births 4.3 per cent. 

" " " " " " deaths 5.8 " 

" living births to population 2.8 " 

'* deaths to births 74-5 " 

Natural annual increase 5 «< 

7 

Average " " 3.3 « 

" " immigration 2.6 ' 

Mean age at death 23. 57 years. 

" " of living 24.29 '« 

The following figures are intended to exhibit the greater long- 
evity and higher viability of members of the Society of Friends 2 : 

Friends. Philada. Advantage. 

Maximum vitality 310.56 257.74 20.49 P r - ct - 

Average proportionate mortality from 20 to 60 

yearsofage 14.25 17.58 23.37 " 

Expectation of life 43-73 3509 24.62 «' 

Probable life 48.08 3344 43.78 " 

Proportionate mortality at birth 124.66 180.38 44.70 " 

Comparative mean expectation of life, Price's London 23.70 years. 

" " " " " Philadelphia 31.46 " 

" " " " '' Farr's English No. 3, male 31.77 " 

* " " " " " « " female 32.33 « 

" " " " " Carlisle 32.66 «' 

" " " M " Friends' 33.11 " 

I have found, from the examination of other documents, that 
the longevity of " Quakers" has been made the subject of investi- 
gation in Great Britain and Ireland. In 1841-2 it was found 
that the average age of "Quakers" at death was 52.25 years; in 
1842-3, 48.78 years. Of those dying after the 20th year of age, 
1841-2, the average age at death was 62.09 years; 1842-3, 62.40 
years. It is stated that the births only slightly exceeded the 
deaths. 



iProceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Phila., 1870, vol. xi., 
pp. 17-22. 

2The " Orthodox" Friends in Philadelphia number, according to Dr. Edward 
Maris, about 2,000. Of the "Hicksite" branch, I have no reliable data; 
but they probably number about 5,000. There are probably from 15,000 to 
20,000 persons living in Philadelphia at the present time who derive their origin 
from members of the Society of Friends. 



1 6 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death- Rate, etc. 

In Geneva, where a greater longevity (average age at death) 
prevails than any other place in Europe, the births only slightly 
exceed the deaths. 

Before commenting on the results of these computations it is 
proper to observe that a large number of births are not recorded, 
this deficit being estimated from one to two thousand annually, 
or more properly, about 12 or 15 per cent. 

In examining the proportion of boys to girls born during the 
decade stated, it is noticeable that this proportion was lowest in 
1862, when many men between the ages of 18 and 45 years were 
in the army, leaving wives temporarily without husbands, of the 
ages and classes from which above the average proportion of boys 
are usually recruited ; and this explanation is corroborated by the 
fact of a gradually increasing proportion of boys in each succeed- 
ing year, until 1865, when it reached its highest point — the army 
being disbanded in 1864. From this period we have a gradually 
declining proportion of males for the next three years, owing per- 
haps to the larger number of marriages (from money being plen- 
tiful), and for this reason giving a larger proportion of first 
children, among which the proportion of boys is less than in the 
closely succeeding pregnancies. In the next three years, money 
being less plentiful, marriages decreased, and the proportion of 
male births increased. 

For the entire period of eleven years, the proportion of boys to 
girls born to white parents was as 110.65 to 100, while among 
the colored population only 101. 14 males were born to 100 females. 
The proportion of boys born in the city of Philadelphia, in the 
period comprehended in these calculations, is much larger than 
that of any other city or entire State from which I have been able 
to get returns, New York city having (1853 to 1871) only 107.8 
notwithstanding her much larger foreign population, amounting 
to nearly 100 per cent, more than Philadelphia. 

Cities as a rule (deduced from statistics in Europe), have a 
smaller proportion of boys than villages and the neighboring 
country, and I imagine Pennsylvania would show a larger propor- 
tion of males in her births than her largest city — but this law of 
nature does not always hold in the United States, because of 
excess of foreign element in cities over country districts, and other 
circumstances connected with movement of population westward. 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 1 7 

As an example of this exception, I may cite Providence, R. I., 
which had (1854 to 1872) from 95 2 to 113.8, or an average of 
105.9 boys to 100 girls, while the entire State, in the same period, 
had from 100.3 t0 II2 - 9> or an average of 105.5 D0VS t0 I0 ° 
girls. 

The proportion of boys to girls in the conceptions by seasons 
follows the usual law, being sensibly greater in spring, particularly 
the month of April, corresponding with the largest number of 
conceptions. The greater number of marriages in the autumn 
and winter increases the proportion of conceptions in these seasons, 
but with from 137 to 233 marriages in excess of the number in 
the spring, the last named season has within two as large a num- 
ber of conceptions. 

The proportion of males, in the general population of the city, 
had sensibly diminished during the period comprehended between 
1830 and i860, it having decreased .61 per cent. From i860 to 
1872, 113.44 males 1 died to every 100 females, while only 110.5 
boys were born to 100 girls. The proportion of males to females, 
in the population in i860, was 90.93 to 100, and had the influx 
from neighboring places been in the same proportion, by virtue 
of the excess of male deaths over male births, there would have 
been 90.37 males 2 to 100 females in the population of 1872 ; and if 
the city had relied wholly upon its resident population for its 
increase, the proportion of females would have been still greater. 

I have seen statistical tables which seemed to indicate that 
females decrease their mean average duration of life more than 
males, by taking up their residence in the country, while men 
decrease their years mor^ than women by a residence in cities. 3 
Thus, in Michigan, in 1870, the males, at death, were 1.16 years 
older than the females, while in Rhode Island and in the city of 
Philadelphia, the females were more than two years older than 
the males at the time of death ; and for the same places the colored 
female decedents were from ten to above thirteen years older than 
the males. This excessive mortality among the male blacks over 

1 From the author's paper on the " Relative Viability of the Sexes," etc., 
N. Y. Medical Record, June 15 and July 15, 1873. 

2 This estimate was made before the census report was published, and is sin- 
gularly in harmony with the latter, as the proportion of males to females in 
1870 was 90.50 to 100 (census). 

3 This point was maintained and proved in the author's paper on " Rela- 
tive Viability," etc., etc., above referred to. 



1 8 Statistcs Relating to the- Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

females, when coupled with the larger proportion of females in 
the births, fully accounts for the great excess of colored females in 
the population, and is at variance with the opinion of Dr. 
Emerson, who suggested, as a cause of this excess, the greater 
demand for female servants. 

I stated, in my preliminary remarks, that advances in civiliza- 
tion bring with them, among other things, a decline in the pro- 
portion of boys in the births; and in looking at the proportion 
(io8.ii), in the period from 1820 to 1831, and comparing it with 
the proportion (110.65), f° r tne decade from i860 to 1871, it 
would appear as if Philadelphia had retrograded instead of having 
advanced ; but we must look to the increased proportion of for- 
eigners giving birth during the latter period in explanation of 
this fact. When each decade is halved, we find the rule holds, 
as it does throughout Europe. In the decade from 1820 to 1831 
there was a decline in the last five years over the first five of 1.38 
per cent., and in the second part of the decade, from i860 to 1871, 
the decline was .22 per cent., and would undoubtedly have been 
greater had it not been for the influence of circumstances con- 
nected with the rebellion. 

It is a law, that the greater the fecundity the greater the pro- 
portion of male births; but this rule is subject to exceptions, from 
changed circumstances, altered physical conditions of the parents, 
the proportion of foreigners among parents, and the proportion 
of races in the population of the city, from which statistics are 
elaborated. We have seen that the colored population of Phila- 
delphia gave only 101.14 males to 100 females, while the whites 
gave 110.65; and if we could have sepa/ated the Jewish births, I 
have no doubt we should have found the proportion from 1 25 to 
150 boys to 100 girls, if not even more, as we know in every 
instance in which comparisons have been made between Israelites 
and Christians, the Hebrew males were from 114 to 144 to the 
100 females, while the Christians were always less than 109, 
usually less than 106 in countries having a fixed population. 

From i860 to 1872 there were on an average 71.7 Jewish 
marriages annually, and if a larger proportion of Hebrews do not 
marry than other religionists in the city, the population of the 
city must comprehend (71.7x101) = 7,241 Hebrews; but if they 
marry less frequently, or have a larger number of persons in the 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 19 

population to each marriage, (as was shown in an article 1 by the 
writer devoted to the biostatic peculiarities of this race), there are 
certainly more than I have estimated above, probably (71.1x130), 
or from nine to ten thousand ; hence there is one Israelite to every 
eighty inhabitants. From 1861 to 1873 (12 years), there were in 
each year respectively, 32, 64, 70, 82, 77, 126, 67, 59, 69, 66, 76, 
83 Hebrew marriages, or an average of 75 for the first six years 
and 70 for the last six years. The effect of the rebellion (which 
began in 1861 and ended in 1865) is singularly noticeable in its 
influence on the proportion of marriages, as there were but thirty- 
two in the year (1861) in which the war began, owing to the 
depression of business, and nearly four times (126) as many in 
1866 (the year following the close), owing to the fortunes made 
during the conflict. 

This is corroborative of the opinion expressed by the writer in 
his article on "The Biostatic Peculiarities of the Jewish Race," 
viz.: That they were more careful to make provisions for the 
event than Christians. 

The influence of the accession of a larger percentage of the 
foreign element in the population, in altering the proportion of 
males in the births, is evident from the examination of the follow- 
ing statements, which I have elaborated from the Registration 
Report of Michigan for 1870, viz.: That while foreign fathers 
have only 104.18 boys to 100 girls, foreign mothers have in. 17 
to 100; and where both parents are native, they have 107.77 boys 
to 100 girls, while if both are foreign, they have 109.31 to 100. 
This same rule obtains to a still greater degree in case of twins 
and illegitimate births, while it is reversed in case of still-births. 1 
Fuller particulars and cause of this peculiarity will receive atten- 
tion in a special article. 2 This report, so skilfully compiled by 
Dr. H. B. Baker, is the only one I have yet seen in which the 
nativity of the parents and sex of the offspring were both stated 
in such a manner as to admit of the calculations above given. 

The increase in the proportion of parents giving birth in the 

i" Longevity and other Biostatic Peculiarities of the Jewish Race," New 
York Medical Record, May, 15, 1873, pp. 241-2-3-4; copied in the Cincinnati 
Lancet and Observer July, 1873, pp. 417-429; also Hebrew Leader, N. Y., May 
23-30, June 6-13, 1873. 

2 The effect of Nationality of Parents on Fecundity and the Proportion of 
Sexes in Births. 



20 Statistics Relattng to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

city, who were themlseves born in other towns, or in the country, 
is not without influence in increasing the proportion of male 
births. 

With these facts before us, then, it is not difficult to understand, 
why we had a larger proportion of boys born in the last decade, 
than in the decade forty years before. 

INFANT MORTALITY. 

Of all the persons dying in Philadelphia for the twelve years 
ending December 31st, 1872, 28.5 per cent, were one year and 
under, 1 8.5 percent. from one to two years, and 8.3 per cent, from 
two to five years of age; or 45.3 per cent, were under five years 
of age. From 1807 to 1827 (20 years), 39.8 per cent, of the 
total mortality was from children under five years of age. From 
1858 to 1870, it was 45-54 per cent. 

There does not appear to be any decline in infant mortality in 
this country, but rather an increase, while Dr. Farr reports a 
decline of one-half in the last hundred years — from 74.5 per 
cent. (1 730-1 749), to 29.8 per cent. (1851-1870). 

To every 10,000 deaths of males under one year of age, in Eng- 
land, France, Belgium, Prussia, Sweeden and Saxony, only 8,060 
deaths of females occurred, or 124 males to every 100 females. 
This fact is rendered still more striking when we state that the 
proportion of males to females in births, in those countries, does 
not exceed 107 males to 100 females, while the proportion of 
sexes in the population under one year is necessarily much less 
than this last even. 2 



l The comparison of the mortality of children under five years in other cities 
and States is as follows : 

New York, 1804 to 1853, 48.79 per cent. 1866 to 1870,50.45 percent. 
Chicago, 1843-1869, 51.24 per cent. ; Boston, 1811-1839, 37.87 per cent. 
1868-1872, 42.22 per cent. ; Providence, 1856-1870, 38.45 per cent ; 1839- 
1870, 39.78 per cent. ; St. Louis, i87i, 51.10 per cent.; Baltimore, 1850, i860, 
1862, 1865, 1866 and 1869, 45.54 per cent. ; Cincinnati, 1868, 46.68 per cent.; 
Washington, 1849, 1852, and 1868, 46.54 per cent. ; United States (census), 
1850, 38.40 per cent.; i860, 42 89 per cent. ; 1870, 41.28 per cent. — Dr. To- 
ner, Free Sanitariums, Washington, 1873. Pp 72-5 ; also Fact of Vital Statistics, 
etc., 1872. 

2 Dr. Tripe, " On the Relative Mortality of Males and Females under five 
years of age. Br. and For. Med. Chi?: JZeview, Apr. 1857, p. 455-7°- 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 2 1 

ILLEGITIMACY. 

The estimated number of illegitimate births appears to be low, 
but the percentage 1 (4.1) is as high as that given by Mr. Acton 
for London. The proportion of the sexes in these births is only 
known in the reports from the almshouse, where it follows the 
nearly universal rule in having a smaller proportion of males than 
legitimate births, as may be seen in the foot note. 

The larger proportion of females in such births has been so 
frequently recorded as to be a fixed fact, while the discussion in 
regard to the cause is still an open question, though the weight of 
opinion is in favor of the youth of the mother, large proportion 
of first pregnancies, 2 and the presence of a condition incident to 
a certain physiological phenomenon. 

The proportion of illegitimate births to the births in general 
is thought by those who have given the subject much attention to 
be due to the greater or less excess of women in the population. 
The law being, the greater the excess of women over men in the 
population, the greater the proportion of illegitimate births. 

INFANTICIDE. 

Dr. John S. Parry, from a careful examination of the records 
in the office of the coroner, finds that the "deaths of infants under 
one week old in which inquests were held," during the periods 
from November 1st, 1863, to October 31st, 1866, and from No- 
vember 1st, 1869, to March 31st, 1870, numbered 372 (241 males, 
and 131 females, in proportion of 181 males to 100 females). 
Nearly 100 of these are thought to be cases of infanticide. — Op. 
Cit. pp. 10, 11, 12, 13. 

MULTIPLE BIRTHS. 

We have no record of the proportion of sexes in multiple births, 
but I feel warranted, from my researches in this direction, in enun. 
ciating a law which seems to hold in all the cases to which I have 
applied it, viz. : the greater the number of products at a single 
labor, the smaller the proportion of males, when compared with 

!The following percentages may be compared with Philadelphia, viz. : 
London, 4.1 ; Italy, 5.1; Spain, 5.5; England, 5.9; France, 7 ; Prussia, 7.5 ; 
Scotland, 9.5; Edinburgh, io.l; Austria, 10.9 ; Bavaria, 22.5; Paris, 28. 1 ; 
Vienna, 51.5. 

2 See further in author's paper on the " Physical Aspects of Primogeniture," 
New York Medical Record, Nov. 15, 1873. 



22 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate. etc. 

births occurring under similar circumstances, and in the same 
locality. 

STILL-BIRTHS. 

The proportion of boys to girls in still births was only 134.4, 
which is lower than the proportion for the State of Rhode Island 
for the past 19 years, where it was 148.9 to 100, while in Massa- 
chusetts, from 1852 to 1869, the proportion was i46.6, and in 
Michigan, 1869, it was 145.8, and in 1870, 162.5. The larger 
proportion of males in still-births in States over cities, as would 
appear from these figures, is probably due to less skillful acouchers 
or difficulty in reaching the case at the proper time, and possibly 
from larger size of child's head in the country than in the city. 
The greatly increased proportion of still-births in the almshouse 
over the city in general may be due to the fact that a larger per- 
centage of them are first children, or from the enfeebled or dis- 
eased condition of the mothers. 

The greater proportion of males in still-births is due in a mea- 
sure to the more frequent defective development of males than of 
females, as I have shown in my paper on the " Relative Viability of 
the Sexes, etc." This view is corroborated by the excessive mor- 
tality of males in the first years of life, even to the tenth. Reas- 
oning from this stand-point, I cannot help stating my conviction 
in regard to the cause of a larger proportion of males (146. 6j in still- 
births in the State of Massachusetts for the eighteen years men- 
tioned, as being due to defective development, which I believe is 
clearly chargeable to the incapacity of the mothers. Wherever the 
proportion of males is high in still-births among parents of the same 
nationality, who are treated by equally skillful accoucheurs, I 
am persuaded it is usually a reflection on the mothers. Massa- 
chusetts, with 146.6 males to 100 females still-born, had but 
105.8 males to 100 females in general births, while Philadelphia, 
with 110.65 males to 100 females in births in general, had but 
134.4 males to 100 females still-born. Consequently Massachu- 
setts mothers do not compare favorably in this particular with 
Philadelphia mothers. I have pointed out in another place 1 that 
when the parents are of different nationalities the proportion of 
still-born males was increased to 200 males to 100 females, when 

"lEffect of Nationality of Parents on Fecundity and Proportion of Sexes in 
Births." 



Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 23 

the father was foreign and mother native, while it was but 150 
males to 100 females in native father and foreign mother. Both 
parents foreign, 320 males to 100 females; both parents native 
127 males to 100 females. 

Notwithstanding an increase in the proportion of marriages to 
the population (owing to excess of money at the disbanding of 
the army, and subsequently), during the last half decade, the pro- 
portion of births to each marriage was diminished 6.71 per cent, 
from the first half. 

In 1861 there were 3.91 births to each marriage annually, while 
in 1870 there were only 2.67, or an average of 2.61 for the entire 
decade. In the decade from 1820 to 1831, it required but 22.6 
inhabitants to recruit one birth each year, while in the decade 
from i860 to 1 87 1, it required 37.3, or 39.4 per cent. more. 

The most important of all the deductions from these figures is 
the mean average duration of human life, which it will be seen 
has gradually diminished for each period; and all these are above 
the actual duration of life, from the fact that the greater part of 
those 9,000 persons who annually take up their residence in the 
city are adults, and have passed the most critical period of their 
lives elsewhere. 

The decline in the duration of human life in this city since 
1807 is further corroborated by the calculations showing that one 
person died annually to every 47.86 of the population, in period 
from 1807 to 1820, while in the next period (1820-1830) there 
were only 4i.i inhabitants to each decedent, and this number is 
further reduced to 39. I 1 in the period from i860 to 1871, being 
18.3 percent, less than in the period from 1807 to 1820. 

From the fact that the number of males in the population to 
each male dying was 33.5, while the number of females in the 
population to each female dying was 39.4, we are convinced that 
females have a higher mean average duration of life than males, 
as was the case in Rhode Island, as was indicated in the foot-notes, 
and as proved in the author's article 2 a lready referred to. 

*New York city, in 1870, had but 33.9 inhabitants to each death, which in- 
dicates that the duration of life in that city is shorter than in this. 

2The "jRelative Viability of the Sexes, particularly with regard to the rela- 
tive liability to the inheritance ot certain transmissible diseases — considered in 
relation to'the selection of Life Insurance Risks, with a view of exhibiting the 
the unjustness of charging higher rates for women, etc, etc." — N. Y. Medical 
Record, June 16 and July 15, 1873. P.P- 2 97~3Q2 and 353-4-5. 




013 821 552 • 



24 Statistics Relating to the Births, Death-Rate, etc. 

The deaths have been all recorded, while many of the births 
escape the attention of the registrar, 1 and yet, notwithstanding 
this last-named fact, the latter have been in excess of the former 
every year except one, and that deficit was probably due to some 
circumstance connected with the rebellion, then just ended. 

In the year 1872, however, the deaths exceeded the births (as 
recorded) by 472, owing to the epidemic of small-pox and exces- 
sive infant mortality during the hot summer of that year. 

The decline in the increase of the population by births, from 
38.9 per cent., in the decade from 1820 to 1831, to 10.8 per cent., 
in decade from i860 to 1871, and the total decline from all causes, 
from 37.8 per cent, in the former period, to 19.2 per cent, in 
the latter period, is a noticeable feature in the movement of pop- 
ulation in our city, and corroborates the statement made in my 
preliminary remarks, viz.: population increases in a decreasing ratio. 

iThe deficiency in the return of births is estimated at 20 per cent, by Mr. 
George E. Chambers, Registrar (Report for 1872, p. 3), which is probably quite 
enough, for this would give us one birth to every 27 inhabitants, while at pres- 
ent reckoning we have only 1 in 37. From 12 to 15 per cent, would probably 
be nearer correct. 



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